Jonathan Meddings has a degree in medical science with honours from James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland and spoke at the 2014 International Symposium on Genital Autonomy and Children’s Rights in Boulder, Colorado. See what he has to say about circumcision.

The infant circumcision rate in New South Wales has been declining in recent years, despite contrary reports in the Sydney Morning Herald.

As the following graph shows, the rate has dropped from 17.29% in the year to 30 April 2008 to 14.62% for the year to 30 April 2014. This equates to a relative drop of 15.44%, or 2.67 percentage points.

Sources: Medicare, ABS (birth of males for 2012 used for 2013 and to May 2014)

Those behind the recent Sydney Morning Herald article have simply cherry picked the years to suit their agenda. The change during their selected period is likely due to changing demographics in Sydney in particular, rather than any change in sentiment towards unnecessary genital alteration of children.

Circumcision rates across the country have been steadily falling for many years. See the following for full statistics, together with the reasons why Australian parents are turning away from the procedure:

Brian Morris is a former Professor of molecular biology at the University of Sydney. He has spent much of his adult life attempting to defend the practice of routine infant circumcision. He has, in essence, fought a personal war against a normal part of the human anatomy (the male foreskin). Morris has utilised a wide range of tactics in order to prosecute his case in relation to this issue. He has mastered the art of optimising media opportunities to promulgate his views on the subject. He has also surrounded himself with like-minded individuals, whom he has hoped would provide credible support for his war against the foreskin. Morris and his allies have attempted to harness scientific research in order to underpin their opinions and they have been unrelenting in their attempts at discrediting those who express views that contradict their own. Despite his dedication and persistence, the evidence provided below…

It was once common for doctors to tell parents that babies don’t feel pain, in an attempt to make them feel more comfortable about circumcising their baby boys. If any parents still believe this nonsense I ask them to pinch their baby, really hard, and see what happens. Not once has any parent actually tried this. Why? because they know it will hurt him. So why would anyone believe that slicing off one of his most sensitive parts with little or no pain relief be any different?